ASN Report 2020

1. ASN’s objectives regarding international relations The international arena is a strategic challenge to which ASN devotes particular attention and resources. ASN’s actions in this field aim for continuous improvement in safety, based on chang­ ing knowledge and sharing of practices, in particular in terms of regulation and oversight. This action also aims to ensure ambi­ tious harmonisation of international requirements regarding nuclear safety and radiation protection. ASN’s objectives internationally are thus organised around four main points: ∙ to promote the creation of ambitious international baseline requirements; ∙ to make the French and European positions and regulations known to its counterparts; ∙ to encourage international work on the priority technical issues identified by ASN; ∙ to benefit from the best international practices to achieve progress in nuclear safety and radiation protection in France. To achieve these goals, ASN maintains close bilateral relations with numerous countries. It also takes part in numerous multilat­ eral exchanges within bodies and organisations with a variety of statuses, whether at European level, notably with the European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group (ENSREG) and the Western European Nuclear Regulators Association (WENRA) or, more broadly, at an international level, notably with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) or the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Through its bilateral relations, ASN’s goal is direct exchanges with its counterparts on current issues or on particular points regarding regulation or oversight. These exchanges are an oppor­ tunity for ASN to share its experience and compare its positions and practices in order to progress. They also shed an outside light on position statements, technical questions or societal accepta­ bility, thereby enriching the national debates and consolidating decisions and resolutions. They also enable ASN to be directly informed of the nuclear safety and radiation protection situation at its counterparts. In this respect, ASN’s relations with its coun­ terparts in neighbouring countries are of particular interest. They are also essential in the management of emergency situations. Europe is one of the priority areas for ASN’s international actions. ASN’s goal is to contribute to the sharing, harmonisation and improvement of nuclear safety and radiation protection. Within European associative or community circles, ASN’s aim is to share its vision of the priority safety issues, to compare its analyses and to conduct discussions on practices in use at its counterparts, in order to help establish and maintain a high level of stringency in nuclear safety and radiation protection at the European level, which can be based on harmonised baseline requirements and doctrines established together. The final ASN goal is for nuclear safety and radiation protection best practices and regulations to be shared outside Europe. On this point, it aims to ensure that European doctrine, which pro­ motes the highest levels of stringency, constitutes a benchmark worldwide, notably for countries adopting new reactor models and countries gaining access to nuclear energy for the first time. These international exchanges, which take place in a variety of circles, also enable ASN to benefit from international best prac­ tices and experience, thus helping to advance nuclear safety and radiation protection in France. ASN therefore works within three main cooperative frameworks. It aims to ensure that a constant and balanced presence is main­ tained within each one, considering that each one is specific and that the complementarity between them contributes to the target of harmonisation and continuous improvement of nuclear safety. 2. The European framework for ASN’s international relations European harmonisation of nuclear safety and radiation protection principles and standards has always been a priority for ASN. In this context, ASN participates actively in exchanges between the national nuclear safety and radiation protection authorities of the Member States. 2.1  The EURATOM Treaty and its working groups The Treaty instituting the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM) was signed on 25 March 1957 and constitutes primary law in the field, allowing the harmonised development of provisions allowing a strict regime of oversight for nuclear safety Through its participation in a range of bilateral, European and multilateral cooperation frameworks, the French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) aims to promote the adoption of ambitious international baseline requirements. Within these frameworks, ASN also ensures that the French positions and doctrines are made known and advantage is taken of the best practices internationally to achieve progress in nuclear safety and radiation protection in France. As part of its actions, and within its area of competence, ASN proposes France’s positions on international negotiations to the Government and represents France in international and community entities in this field. International relations 06 196 ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2020